At a lookProfessional’s Ranking
Execs
- Small and strong
- {Hardware} encryption
- 1-, 2- or 4TB capacities
Cons
- European pricing
- No USB-A cable adapter
- Unavailable software program instruments
Our Verdict
For US clients, the aggressive pricing of the X9 Professional and its further options make it a no brainer. However for these within the EU or the UK, the older X8 and X6 stay a a lot better deal if you happen to don’t want encryption. These which can be searching for one thing faster ought to take into account the X10 Professional as an alternative.
Value When Reviewed
From $89.99 | Mannequin reviewed $159.99
Greatest Costs In the present day: Essential X9 Professional
$79.99
$113.82
It has been 4 years since Essential launched probably the most standard moveable drives, the X8. It was adopted a 12 months later by the cheaper X6, and between them, they’ve set a regular for strong moveable drives that different manufacturers have struggled to match.
Weaknesses of those merchandise have been the dearth of {hardware} encryption and solely a three-year guarantee.
These points have been addressed within the new X9 Professional and X10 Professional, which introduce modern styling and enhanced performance to the X Sequence lineup. This assessment covers the X9 Professional, and I’ll cowl the X10 Professional very quickly.
Whereas there have been useful and beauty modifications to those drives, not every thing has modified. The utmost learn efficiency of the X9 Professional is dictated by USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10gbit/s), much like the Essential X8 and near the bigger capacities of the Essential X6.
Subsequently, a sound conclusion may be that the X9 Professional will change each earlier X Sequence drives and supply a brand new entry-level choice under the X10 Professional.
Sitting alongside the present merchandise, it gives new and enhanced options that may justify a premium value. However the pricing equation of this product is already skewed by the dramatic drop within the NAND Flash modules used for this storage.
When the X8 first arrived in October 2019, the 1TB mannequin price $164.95/£149.99. And 4 years later, that a lot cupboard space prices solely $89.99/£82.79 on the X9 Professional, or nearly half as a lot.
Not a lot else in PC know-how has gone down this a lot, however is it the one purpose for purchasing this new tackle a basic moveable SSD?
Design & Construct
- Compact
- IP55
- No USB adapter
The brand new X9 Professional strikes away from the black aluminium lozenge idea of the X8 and embraces a extra nuanced kind that resembles a strong block of silver steel that’s had the perimeters rounded off by a milling machine.
In a single nook is a gap that appears prefer it permits the drive to be placed on a lanyard, though none is offered for that goal. Besides as soon as I powered up the X9 Professional, I realised the opening was the place the exercise LED resides.
Unsure this was a fantastic plan as a result of the LED is on the angled a part of this gap, and the instructions it’s clearly seen are very restricted. These in a brightly lit room may by no means discover it’s on or off. I did observe that it’s a little simpler to see on the black X10 Professional than on the silver X9 Professional.
The underside of the drive has a tender rubberised coating that forestalls the SSD from sliding round on the desk or damaging the floor. The offered USB-C cable is 23cm lengthy, a bit longer than those that got here with the X6 and X8.
What’s lacking that was on the X8 is a USB-C to USB-A adapter. That’s an adjunct that was faraway from the X6, and isn’t included with both the X9 Professional or X10 Professional. Given the meagre price to Essential within the quantity of an adapter, that it didn’t embody one free of charge is regrettable.
Alongside the drive, in both 1-, 2- or 4TB capability, a brief USB-C cable and a few guarantee and repair documentation in 20 languages. This paperwork doesn’t cowl any operational or use features of the product, assuming that this system is successfully a plug-and-play system that doesn’t want detailed directions.
The place the X8 felt substantial and in a position to face up to being crushed, Essential made few claims about exactly what the enclosure might deal with. Fortunately the X9 Professional is now formally IP55 rated for water and dirt ingress safety and a particular drop top. That ranking and the prolonged guarantee interval supplied with it helps the assertion that the X9 Professional is extra sturdy than its predecessors.
Aside from the penny-pinching by Essential, the large takeaway from the X9 Professional is how mild it’s. At simply 39g, it’s a lot lighter than the 148g X8 and nearer to the 42g X6.
Essential makes a lot of the resilience of the drive in its product info, highlighting its ranking to outlive a fall from 2M (6.5ft).
You may surprise what exhausting and probably damaging floor does it fall in these assessments? The small print reveals that it’s a carpeted ground and never concrete. Frankly, if one thing manufactured from steel with no shifting components weighing 39g couldn’t deal with falling two meters onto carpet, it most likely wouldn’t be a recommendable buy. It’s one thing each the X8 and X6 would have undoubtedly survived.
However, I did discover that the packaging contained in the field is much less protecting of the X9 Professional than the X6 field, and subsequently Essential may suppose that it might probably take extra abuse on its journey to the client.
For these unfamiliar with the IP ranking scheme, IP55-certified gadgets will not be waterproof in the identical method as you may count on from an costly cell phone. It provides some resistance to water, making it in a position to deal with a rain bathe or very temporary submersion, nevertheless it can’t be reliably taken underwater for any interval longer than a couple of seconds.
What the IP55 definition defines is restricted safety from mud, low-pressure water jets from any route and damp and moist climate, so don’t take your X9 Professional for a swim.
Specs & Options
- USB 3.2 Gen-2
- As much as 4TB
- {Hardware} encryption
In accordance with Essential, the X9 Professional can switch 1050MB/s studying and writing if related to a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port and about half that if you happen to solely have Gen 1 ports (authentic USB 3.0).
The drive comes preformatted utilizing the exFAT file system, making it readable by Home windows, Mac OS and Linux machines, and the drive incorporates no software program. There are HTML pages that hyperlink to some offered instruments and provides that I’ll cowl within the consumer expertise a part of the assessment.
Notes within the reviewer’s information instructed us that Home windows customers can acquire the perfect efficiency if the drives are reformatted to NTFS, however this makes the drive much less versatile in what working methods can perceive that file format. In our testing, the efficiency was not dramatically completely different utilizing NTFS.
One new characteristic is {hardware} encryption. Nearly any exterior SSD could be encrypted, however the overwhelming majority can solely be encrypted utilizing further software program. To unlock a software program encrypted quantity requires the identical instrument used to create the protected house to be put in on any machine or system that it’s related to learn it.
That might be a difficulty if you happen to carry protected information and wish to present it to a different particular person.
Conversely, {hardware} encryption occurs at a {hardware} degree within the SSD, is subsequently far more tough to crack and could be accessed, in concept, with any operation system that inherently understands hardware-encrypted media if in case you have the right password. {Hardware} encryption utilizing 256 AES is safer than software program encryption, and the contents must be simpler to entry on different computer systems.
This encryption know-how can be out there on the SanDisk Excessive Moveable SDD V2, Samsung T7 Contact and T7 Defend however is lacking from these moveable SSDs on the cheaper finish of the market just like the Essential X8 and X6.
Consumer Expertise
- 1-month Adobe Artistic Cloud included
- Mylio Photographs
- Essential Storage Government
Essential has tried to supply some worth added to the X9 Professional proposal within the type of a choice of utilities which can be on its web site that may be discovered utilizing the HTML hyperlinks saved on the drive or a QR code within the packaging. One in every of these is a month free on Adobe’s Artistic Cloud All-apps plan.
Should you have been pondering of becoming a member of the Artistic Cloud and paying Adobe for eternity, then this may be useful because it’s 51.98 a month or $54.99. However there are cheaper methods to get efficient software program.
One other freebie is Mylio Photographs with its picture administration instrument that’s suitable with Home windows, macOS, Android and iPhone, and Just like the Adobe provide, this can be a one-month free entry provide.
The third merchandise is much less of a cross-marketing alternative and one thing genuinely helpful, Essential Storage Government. A general-purpose instrument for monitoring the well being of your Essential storage gadgets, it might probably establish firmware upgrades and set up them if you happen to agree. And, it additionally has some features for reformatting drives and modifying SSD cache allocations. These would all be nice issues, however the newest model of the Essential Storage Government has by no means heard of the X9 Professional (or X10 Professional) and is, subsequently, of no use till Essential fixes it.
One other product Essential mentions, nevertheless it’s prepared, is Hedge, an automatic backup instrument. That sounds good for the X9 Professional, so I hope it’s out there quickly.
And eventually, the Essential Moveable SSD Utility is promised in September 2023 for Home windows and Mac. A easy instrument that may encrypt, lock and unlock the {hardware} safety of the system with a password that services a backstop to deal with those that get pleasure from encrypting every thing and forgetting their passwords.
Once more, the small print recommend this might be good, nevertheless it wasn’t out there to incorporate on this assessment.
General, I’d conclude that the software program facet of the Essential operation was blindsided by the pace at which the {hardware} was made prepared and launched and is now making an attempt to catch up as rapidly as attainable.
Efficiency
- As much as 1050Mb/s
- No quicker than X8
For this assessment, Essential offered me with a 2TB X9 Professional, although in accordance with a Essential written reviewer’s information, the pace variations between this and different capacities are tiny.
Essential said that the X8 learn efficiency was 1050Mb/s, and the X9 Professional matches that pace on learn but in addition on write. A write pace for the X8 was by no means quoted, however I beforehand clocked a 2TB mannequin at 961MB/s.
In our testing, the X9 Professional managed round 966MB reads, and 970MB/s writes within the CrystalDiskMark 8.04 Actual World profile. That makes it barely higher than the X8, and far superior to the X6.
What’s vital to grasp is that the SSD inside can undoubtedly run quicker than the 1050MB/s learn and write pace, and the limiting issue is the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface bandwidth.
Nevertheless, even throughout the confines of the out there bandwidth, the X9 Professional is a superb drive, although in a couple of assessments, it trailed the X8, however not considerably.
These assessments additionally offered information from the X6, Seagate One Contact 1TB, SanDisk Excessive V2 1TB, Samsung T7 Defend 1TB, WD MyPassport SSD (2020) 1TB and OWC Envoy Professional Mini 1TB. And, to point out what USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 drives, I additionally included the Corsair EX100U and the Essential X10 Professional.
Whereas it was by no means going to compete with the Gen 2×2 drives, the X9 Professional was on the very prime or close to that place throughout the board. It additionally didn’t exhibit an enormous efficiency decline once I threw a 64GB file at it utilizing the AJA System take a look at, which occurs on some drives.
General, the X9 Professional is a superb performer for those who don’t have Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt connectivity.
Value & Availability
With NAND reminiscence costs at an all-time low, Essential made the logical option to keep away from any capacities under 1TB, providing that measurement, 2- and 4TB as all of the choices. It might be good to see an 8TB mannequin, however Essential hasn’t reached that NAND density as but.
One of the best place to purchase the X9 Professional is the USA, as at launch, this product was discounted considerably throughout all capacities. Unsure what the principles are about reductions within the USA are. However in Europe, you’re not supposed to point out a excessive value after which a decrease discounted one if it was by no means on sale on the increased value.
Nevertheless, Essential averted that situation in Europe by not making use of the low cost to UK and EU clients on the X9 Professional or X10 Professional. But, Essential has no less than discounted the X8 and X6 to European clients.
The costs are $89.99, $159.99 and $289.99 for the three capacities within the USA. You should buy it from Essential, Amazon and Andorama.
Within the UK the X9 Professional is £82.79, £147.59 and £267.59 respectively for the three capacities. You should buy it from Essential, Amazon, Box and Ebuyer.
Primarily based on present alternate charges, the UK X9 Professional prices 34%, 46% and 43% greater than within the US, and with EU pricing, these value hikes turn out to be 37%, 50% and 47% extra.
That undoubtedly makes the perfect place to purchase the X9 Professional the USA, and the worst is the EU, with the UK hardly a cut price. In all places, the perfect worth per GB is the 4TB choice, with the worst being the 1TB.
The issue with this pricing is that the 1TB Essential X8 is at present simply $69.99 and provides very related efficiency ranges to the X9 Professional, even when it lacks encryption and water/mud resistance. With a $10 further price within the USA, that’s at a degree the place most clients may be inclined to take the newer and longer guarantee design.
However within the UK, the distinction is £25.80, and €30.60 within the EU. That makes for a much less compelling argument in these areas.
To check it with different manufacturers, the SanDisk Excessive Professional 1TB is $119.99 direct from Western Digital, the Samsung T7 Defend Moveable is $88.59, and the WD 1TB My Passport SSD Moveable is $81.99, each on Amazon.
General, the key opponents for the X9 Professional are the unique X8 and X6, although it might be that Essential will part these merchandise out as soon as the retail channels away from present inventory.
Unsure why Essential has so shabbily handled its European clients with this product, however unsold X8 and X6 inventory in these areas might have pushed these selections.
Take a look at our chart of the perfect moveable exhausting drives and SSDs for extra choices.
Verdict
Initially, it was simple to see the X9 Professional as a substitute for the X8. Nonetheless, deeper pondering suggests it is going to be the brand new X6 when you think about the two-tier mannequin that Essential has beforehand operated. Subsequently, the X8 substitute have to be the X10 Professional, not the X9 Professional.
That’s to not say it isn’t higher than the X6 and X8 in some methods, however its launch value doesn’t make it the apparent alternative for the price range acutely aware outdoors the USA (till costs come down). And for these clients that don’t use encryption or work within the rain, the X8 or X6 are higher offers.
What the X9 Professional provides is a barely quicker writing drive, better survivability and a five-year guarantee. And the brand new enclosure can be extremely pocketable, even smaller than the X6.
Should you solely have USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and never Gen 2×2, that is the X sequence drive to personal. Nevertheless, if in case you have Gen 2×2 ports, paying extra for the X10 Professional may prevent time on transfers.
Placing the curious pricing selections that Essential made relating to Europe to at least one facet, our solely different grievance about this product is that the X8 got here with a USB-C to USB-A adapter, and now it’s good to add an adapter. Given how low cost these are to incorporate, passing the price on to the client isn’t more likely to make a few of them glad.
Had it included that merchandise and had a worldwide value scheme much less targeted on one area, I’d be extra enthusiastic concerning the X9 Professional, even when it doesn’t provide a dramatic efficiency enchancment over the older X8.
The present pricing of the X9 in Europe will most likely increase the gross sales of the X8 and X6 slightly than encourage clients to get the brand new design, and perhaps that’s intentional.
Specs
- Mannequin No.: CT2000X9PROSSD9
- Capacities: 4TB/2TB/1TB
- Capability examined: 2TB
- Examined sequential efficiency (Learn/Write): 1082/1063 MB/s
- Connection: USB 3.2 Gen 2 utilizing Sort-C
- Encryption: Password + AES-256 Encryption
- Dimensions: 65 x 50 x 10mm (WxHxD)
- Weight: 38g
- Guarantee: 5 years
